Intermetropolitan Comparisons of Mortality Patterns in Canada

Abstract

<p> This paper is a descriptive analysis of differences in mortality rates among Canada's 23 Census Metropolitan Areas in 1976. · Life Table output focuses specifically on the life expectancies and standardized mortality rates as a means to identify CMA mortality differences. With mention to relevant cause-specific studies and use of regression analysis an attempt is made to shed some light on the identified mortality patterns. Major findings are (1) that mortality rate variation among CMAs reveals an east-west spatial arrangement - mortality rates in Atlantic, Quebec, and Northern Ontario CMAs are above the Canadian average while the mortality rates of Southern Ontario and Western CMAs are at or below the Canadian average; (2) that Victoria CMA is dominant among the CMAs in 1976 in terms of favourable mortality probability; (3) that male mortality rates are significantly higher than female mortality rates but tend to be positively related; (4) that health expenditures per capita have significant influence on health status but continued research is necessary to study and gain a fuller understanding of the effects of various explanatory variables on mortality. </p>